“Press 1 For 10 Additional Years, Press 2 For 15…”

Today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be again. – Eleanor Roosevelt, 1884-1962, Wife of the 32nd USA president

For as far back as history goes, we humans have yearned for life longevity and immortality. From improving bodily hygiene to the type of food we consume to the advancing medical treatments, humankind has surpassed the era of “how to live healthier”, onto “how to extend human life”. Soon enough we may be in an era where we are able to extend our lifespan by delaying the ageing process. Perhaps we will get to choose how many more years we want to live to see our great grandchildren get married. However, this raises many ethical concerns and questions.

Researchers are moving from how to treat diseases, to how to treat ageing. Could you imagine a pill that would slow the ageing of our cells? By researching age at the molecular level, scientists will be able to help treat diseases with age as the major risk factor, such as Alzheimer’s and cancer. The goal isn’t to find a cure for death, but to prevent ageing from causing disease, ultimately, extending the human lifespan as well. This is what the future holds for us, yet, there are many obstacles to tackle firsthand before this can become reality. 

There are studies being done at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) on delaying ageing. Findings published in Science show promise in manipulating and altering a cell’s age. They would use gene editing technology to alter the DNA sequences to create a new “novel ageing path”. “Aging is a fundamental biological question. We know very little about the aging process,” said Nan Hao, researcher in study and associate professor in UCSD’s Division of Biological Sciences’: Molecular Biology section. 

As seen across all fields of work, younger generations with fresh eyes and new perspectives are high in demand. Every major political or social movement, it is being led by the younger generations, the “woke” generations. An increase in average lifespan will also influence politics and change as each generation would be pushing for different policies. Nigel Cameron, president of the Center for Policy on Emerging Technologies, says “There are big generational differences in economic and social interests”. “The whole thing becomes much more extended if people live longer, much more competitive.”

If the lifespan increases, then the retirement age would also increase, keeping people out of long-term nursing and in the workplace. This would have many social and economic benefits. Studies that delay ageing by just a couple of years could save up to $7.1 trillion over fifty years. However, if the retirement age increases, then job opportunities for the younger generations would decrease as there aren’t as many jobs available. 

We have technologies and medicines for treating various illnesses which can be seen as “unnatural” as it would be interfering with the natural processes of the body. However, the majority of society has agreed that these advancements are beneficial to our health and survival, would delaying ageing be as well? Ageing isn’t a disease but it leads to many, so could delaying it be classified as a treatment?

Another factor that bioethicists should consider is its effect on the socio-economic order of the society. An advancement to delay ageing is going to be incredibly unaffordable and inaccessible to the majority of the public. This technology is going to make the economic divide even bigger because only the rich and resourceful would have access to this treatment. Do we want the rich and powerful to live longer than anyone else? The question then arises is that should research and development on this technology be stopped due to its possible lack of access to all? Prices for treatment to decrease overtime; as seen through treatment for AIDS/HIV, the price has dropped from over $9,400 to $600, due to mass adoption and need. Should people who can afford this be denied this opportunity even if others cannot? We should try to resolve health inequities while we continue to pursue technologies that delay the ageing process. 

However, this advancement is still in it’s early testing/developmental stages and has a long road ahead before being applied to humans. Methods that may be used include genetic manipulation and the use of stem cells, which are already widespread controversial methods, so getting this approved for medical use is going to be an even longer road that medical professionals, bioethicists, and researchers will have to take on. 

References

Brooke Borel | Published Mar 24, aging ethics Health life extension longevity, Aging, Ethics, Health, Extension, L., & Longevity. (2021, April 26). The tricky ethics of living longer. Popular Science. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.popsci.com/ethics-living-longer/.  

Harbut, R. F. (2019, May 1). How should one live everlasting life? Journal of Ethics | American Medical Association. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/how-should-one-live-everlasting-life/2019-05.  

Jones, K. (2020, January 15). The problem of an aging global population, shown by country. Visual Capitalist. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.visualcapitalist.com/aging-global-population-problem/.  

Partridge, B. (n.d.). Living Forever: The Ethical Implications of Human Life Extension. Issues Magazine. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from http://www.issuesmagazine.com.au/article/issue-march-2009/living-forever-ethical-implications-human-life-extension.html.  

Scott, A. J., Ellison, M., & Sinclair, D. A. (2021, July 5). The economic value of targeting aging. Nature News. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-021-00080-0.  

To count our days: The scientific and ethical dimensions of radical life extension. Pew Research Center’s Religion & Public Life Project. (2020, May 30). Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.pewforum.org/2013/08/06/to-count-our-days-the-scientific-and-ethical-dimensions-of-radical-life-extension/.  

University, S. C. (n.d.). Radical life extension. Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.scu.edu/ethics/all-about-ethics/radical-life-extension/.  

Woodyatt, A. (2020, July 21). Scientists are one step closer to delaying aging. CNN. Retrieved October 15, 2021, from https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/21/health/slow-aging-intl-scli-scn/index.html.